Funds for Research Projects

The Government provides soft loan to Indian Pharma industries including small scale for Research and Development (R&D) activities which includes support for instruments under the Drugs and Pharmaceutical Research Programme of the Department of Science and Technology (DST). The Government also provides partial support for pilot plant equipment & machinery including specialized equipment to industry, including small scale units in any sector, including the pharmaceutical sector for development and demonstration of innovative technologies through the PACE (Patent Acquisition and Collaborative Research and Technology Development) scheme of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR). Under Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a Public Sector Undertaking of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Innovation Research is funded to StartUp’s and SME’s in the Biotech Sector, which also includes pharma units for developing affordable health care products. The innovation research component includes some equipment which are required for the research activities.             The details of research projects funded by the Government through national laboratories for small scale pharma units during last three years are given at Annexure-1.             Other steps being taken by the Government are as follows:             The Department of Science & Technology under Ministry of Science & Technology has been implementing a Plan Scheme (Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Research Programme – DPRP) since 1994-95 for promoting R&D in Drugs & Pharmaceutical Sector with the following objectives: ·         To synergise the strengths of publicly funded R&D institutions and Indian Pharmaceutical Industry; ·         To create an enabling infrastructure, mechanisms and linkages to facilitate new drug development; ·         To stimulate skill development of human resources in R&D for drugs and pharmaceuticals; ·         To extend soft loan for Pharma industrial R&D projects; ·         To enhance the nation’s self-reliance in drugs and pharmaceuticals especially in areas critical to national health requirements.                Under this programme as on today 110 industries - institutional alliances both in modern and Indian systems of medicine including veterinary drugs have been funded. The programme has supported R&D projects on Tuberculosis, Malaria, Diarrhoea, Filariasis, Diabetes, Psychosomatic disorders, Kala Azar, Cataract, Cancer, Dementia, HIV/AIDS, Anti Fungal, Anti Virals, Anti Cancer, Anti Bacterial, Anti Rabies, Anti Obesity, Anti Asthma, Arthritis, Anti Amoebisis etc., vaccine for Dengue, Japanese Encephalitis, Hepatitis-B etc. 48 state-of-the art infrastructure for Pharmaceutical R&D have been created in different premier institutions and Universities on Bio-availability, Pharmakoinformatics, Regulatory Toxicology, Safety Pharmacology at NIPER, Mohali, Pharmacokinetic & Metabolic Studies, Regulatory Pharmacology & Toxicology, Medium Throughput Screening at CDRI, Lucknow; Transgenic & Gene Knockout Mice, Clinical Research facility to Stem Cell Technologies and regenerative medicine, Biosafety Level 4 Laboratory at CCMB, Hyderabad, Bioequivalence, Pharmacovigilance, New Chemical Entities development, Animal Facility for Indian System of Medicine etc. have been created in other Universities & Institutions. Since 2004-05, the programme extended 73 soft Loans for Indian Pharma Industry R&D projects at a simple interest rate of 3% per annum with repayment duration of 10 years. Also from 2008-09, the programme supported three grants-in-aid projects to Indian Pharma industries for conducting clinical trials in neglected diseases such as malaria, kala-azar, etc.               Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) launched a scheme in the 12th five year plan - PRISM (Promoting Innovations in Individuals, Start-ups and MSMEs) where it is proposed to support innovative projects in MSMEs, including those in the pharmaceutical sector, through public funded R&D institutions including national laboratories.                Department of Biotechnology (DBT) is encouraging the Indian Biotechnology Industries to participate in research projects in collaboration with academic institutions. The calls for proposals are regularly invited for strengthening the SME’s both at national and international level.                     The Department of Science & Technology (DST) has set up Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facilities (SAIFs) in different parts of the country to provide the facilities of sophisticated analytical instruments to the research workers in general and specially from the institutions which do not have such instruments through its Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facilities (SAIF) programme to enable them to pursue R&D activities requiring such facilities and keep pace with developments taking place globally. The SAIFs are equipped with sophisticated analytical instruments to meet the needs of research workers in various areas of science & technology. The instrument facilities at the SAIFs are accessible to all the users and are being used extensively by the researchers from all parts of the country. These facilities are being used by small scale pharma units also.